Mouthwatering and healthy, Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a nutritious, filling, and tasty meal. These quick and easy lettuce wraps are packed with fresh, vibrant flavors and delicious pieces of tender chicken.
A tasty Asian inspired Chicken Lettuce Wrap Sauce, with a touch of orange marmalade and hoisin sauce, gives the wraps a flavorful punch and makes them a winning meal.
Healthy chicken lettuce wraps, made with chicken breasts, are similar to PF Changs. They are delicious, and they are probably one of the easiest and quickest meals you will ever prepare. No muss, no fuss, and a wonderful, flavorful appetizer or meal in under 15 minutes! What more could you ask?
How many calories?
At 174 calories each, these healthy chicken wraps make staying on a diet easy and help keep the pounds at bay.
What kind of lettuce is best?
I like to use Bibb or Boston butterhead lettuces for these wraps. Both have a mild flavor and broad leaves that hold a fair amount of filling without ripping or falling apart. Other kinds of lettuce that can be used include romaine, iceberg, and endive.
Here’s what you will need for this recipe:
You will need boneless skinless chicken breasts, olive oil, onion, shredded carrots, garlic, toasted cashews, Kosher salt, and pepper. You will also need chopped tomatoes and cucumber for a garnish, and lettuce for the wraps.
For the sauce, you will also need low-sodium soy sauce, pure maple syrup, orange marmalade, and hoisin sauce.
How to make this recipe:
Add the soy sauce, maple syrup, orange marmalade, and hoisin sauce to a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
In a large non-stick skillet or wok, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onion and carrots. Saute for two to three minutes or until the onions start to soften.
Add the garlic and chicken, and salt and pepper. Cook, frequently stirring, for two to three minutes or until the meat is almost cooked through.
Add the sauce to the wrap mixture and cook, frequently stirring until the sauce starts to bubble and thicken, which will take about a minute or two.
Add in the cashews and cook just until they are heated.
To serve, spoon the wrap mixture evenly on top of the lettuce leaves. Garnish with chopped tomato, cucumber, and a few cashews and serve immediately.
What to serve them with:
These tasty lettuce wraps are delicious served with spring rolls or egg rolls and the chicken mixture is wonderful either served over rice or quinoa instead of lettuce leaves. Of course, you can also serve it alongside, of fried rice or steamed or roasted vegetables too!
Variations:
Ground turkey, ground beef, or finely chopped shrimp are all good substitutes for the poultry.
Leftovers and storage:
If you have any leftover filling it can be stored in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store your lettuce separately wrapped in a damp paper towel in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator.
Sharon’s tips:
This recipe comes together quickly. Be sure to have all of your ingredients ready and prepped before you start cooking.
Another way to serve this dish is to place the wrap mixture in a bowl, the lettuce on a plate, and the cut-up cucumber and tomato, and cashews in small bowls. This way, each person can make their own wraps.
You can substitute water chestnuts for the cashews or add a handful if you like. I usually do because my husband loves water chestnuts.
You can also substitute dark meat for the breast.
If you are using iceberg lettuce, an easy way to get nice lettuce cups is to cut off the top one-third of the head of lettuce. Take the top third you cut off and separate the leaves to use as the lettuce wraps.
If you use an English or hothouse cucumber, you don’t need to peel it.
More healthy chicken recipes:
If you like this recipe, you might also like these popular posts on my blog: Skillet Mediterranean Chicken Bake, One Pan BBQ Chicken Potatoes and Green Beans, Grilled Teriyaki Chicken, Easy Roasted Bone-In Chicken Breast, Healthy Chicken Cauliflower Skillet, and Simple Lemon Grilled Whole Chicken.
Need more menu ideas or recipe suggestions check out all of my chicken recipes here.
★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thanks so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
Easy Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts chopped into very small pieces, no bigger than ¼ inch square, or you can use ground chicken
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup white onion finely diced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced or grated
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup cashews plus a few extra for garnish if desired
- 10 lettuce leaves I like to use Bibb or Boston butter lettuces
- 2 tomatoes small, finely chopped
- 1 cucumber small, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
Instructions
- Add the soy sauce, maple syrup, orange marmalade, and hoisin to a small bowl and mix well. Set aside. (Don't worry if the marmalade doesn't completely mix in, it will once it cooks.)
- In a large non-stick skillet or wok, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onion and carrots. Saute for two to three minutes or until the onions start to soften.
- Add the garlic and poultry, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, frequently stirring, for two to three minutes or until the meat is mostly cooked through.
- Add the sauce, and cook, frequently stirring until it starts to bubble, which should take about a minute or so. Stir in the cashews and cook just until they are heated. Taste and season to taste with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Spoon about one-quarter of a cup of the wrap mixture on top of each lettuce leaf. Garnish with the chopped tomato and cucumber and a few cashews if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
**This post was originally published on April 4, 2016. It was republished on September 14, 2020, with new pictures and expanded directions and tips.
There are times that I just crave lettuce wraps but I can’t tell you the last time I’ve actually made them. I usually just end up ordering them when I’m out. That’s why this post grabbed my attention. I love the ingredients that you have in the sauce. What a combination of flavors. And cashew nuts are one of my favorites. I’m gonna have to try this. Thanks so much Sharon for sharing.
I love lettuce wraps and this sounds so easy. Hope Mr. Picky Eater will like them. I’m going to try it out on him.
Carolyn